


That’s All

by AFey



Series: Challenge #1 Mirandy Year of Fun & Frolics Writer’s Bingo [5]
Category: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Genre: Bingo Entry Challenge #1, F/F, Mirandy Bingo, Mirandy Year of Fun & Frolics, a touch of smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2019-05-09 15:50:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14719067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AFey/pseuds/AFey
Summary: In the days leading up to Andy’s departure from Runway, no one is really being honest with themselves.....





	That’s All

**Author's Note:**

> Another fic for the Mirandy Year of Fun & Frolics. Prompt - “That’s all”.
> 
> (Grouped together in a series so I can keep track of which fic is part of what challenge)

Miranda Priestly blames the weather for her mood. The wind and rain punish the city and in return, she torments her staff even more than usual. It doesn’t help that they’ve sunk to even greater depths of incompetence, trying her patience every moment she’s in the office. Layouts are uninspired, photo shoots are lacklustre and not even Nigel can come up with an original idea during their editorial meeting.

And then there’s her biggest disappointment. Andréa. 

Andréa who no longer anticipates her needs and instead spends half the day distracted. Andréa who is leaving in two days. Andréa who she will not miss.

Indeed, she looks forward to Andréa’s departure. Once she leaves Miranda will no longer be subjected to heated glances, heavy sighs and ‘accidental’ caresses. She’ll no longer see a flash of long legs and a hint of cleavage as Andréa struts into her office.

As the wind and rain continue to savage the city, Miranda hopes the inclement weather is almost at an end. External photo shoots are impossible to arrange right now and each day they fall further behind schedule.  Yes, clearly it’s just the weather making her miserable and frustrated. That’s all.

******

Andy Sachs counts down the days until she can leave _Runway_ forever. As the number creeps closer to zero she feels a mix of relief and dread. The relief is easy to understand. The dread less so. Or so she tells herself.

Today, Miranda’s in the foulest mood Andy’s ever witnessed. Even Nigel is not immune to her quiet, scathing words though he seems not to mind them at all. Despite the events in Paris, he’s still here, still loyal. Andy hopes for his sake the loyalty's not misplaced.

As for her, she resisted the urge to walk out on Miranda in Paris and is now on her way to bigger and better challenges at _The New York Mirror._ Soon she’ll be putting her journalism degree to good use and all of this will feel like a dream. 

As Miranda stalks the hallways in designer footwear, firing off orders so fast Andy can barely keep up, it’s only natural she’s relieved to be leaving. Leaving a boss with impossible demands and unrealistic expectations. Leaving a woman who makes her question everything she thought she knew about herself.

And that dread she feels? It’s just the anxiety of starting something new and the fear that maybe she’s still not good enough. That’s all. 

******

Emily Charlton wonders if internal eye rolls count as insubordination. Because if they do, she’s in trouble.

She watches Miranda and Andrea in the days leading up to the latter’s departure and bites her tongue to stop herself saying something she’ll regret. She invents excuses to visit the art department, which means she not only escapes the tension in the office but sees Serena more than usual. It’s a win-win situation.

As she interviews people for Andrea’s position she can’t help thinking that they all seem to be lacking something. On paper they seem perfect for the position, but in person, there’s little substance. In the end, she selects someone who is slender and stylish but also smart. Someone who’ll require no makeover or convincing that fashion is an important industry. A woman who recognises the privilege of working for Miranda Priestly and seems like she can withstand the demands of the position. Only time will tell.

Emily looks across the room at Andrea and lets out a quiet sigh when she remembers the fashion disaster who walked into Miranda’s office less than a year ago. She thinks about everything that’s transpired during that time and wipes away the tear that appears without her permission. 

It’s not as if she’ll miss Andrea. A swag of couture is not enough to create a friendship between two people so different. No. If anything she’s just upset about training yet another assistant. That’s all. 

 ******

Nigel Kipling spends the day thinking about what life would have been like working for James Holt. Surely it would be easier than working for Miranda Priestly after the sting of betrayal. The sting that remains despite the unexpected apology from his boss. It’s not that he expected Miranda to sacrifice her own career for him. But she could have at least warned him, allowed him the benefit of prior knowledge to soften the public blow.

When he’s not fantasising about his alternative life, Nigel notices that Andy is the only one to escape Miranda’s wrath. Even he receives words of disdain and yet somehow Andy emerges unscathed despite the delivery of coffee that is in no way scalding hot. He hardly believes it when Miranda blames the inclement weather instead of her assistant. Wonders will never cease.

Except by the end of the day, he’s less surprised by Miranda’s leniency than he is by his own lack of perception. Miranda Priestly is in love with her soon to be ex-assistant. Or in serious lust at least. He’s sure of it.  Her eyes follow Andy’s every move and when she thinks no one is looking there’s a subtle licking of her lips. He can’t believe he’s never noticed before.

At first he thinks it’s one-sided and almost feels sorry for Miranda. Then he notices the look Andy shoots Miranda as everyone else leaves the office after the run through. And that settles it. Whatever this is, it’s mutual. 

As Miranda instructs Andy to stay behind, Nigel lurks by Emily’s desk, trying to overhear their conversation while pretending to be interested in _Runway_  business. When, after five minutes, Andy fails to return he makes his way back to his office.

It’s not like Nigel really cares about Miranda and Andy. He merely wants to be privy to the juicy gossip. That’s all.

 ******

The day Andréa leaves _Runway_  is the day the weather finally clears, leaving Miranda with no additional excuse for her mood. Not that anyone ever questions her about her moods. Her staff may well be incompetent but they’re not stupid.

After ending yesterday with a lecture about Andréa’s lack of focus, Miranda expects today to run smoothly. Except, of course, it doesn’t.

Her coffee is cold. Her San Pellegrino is flat. Her steak is missing in action.

It’s like Andréa is giving her the culinary middle finger with no concern for the danger it puts her in. Just because Miranda supplied a recommendation for a new job doesn’t make Andréa safe. Recommendations can be withdrawn, blacklisting is not an idle threat and New York is an expensive place without a job. 

It makes no sense - Andréa should be doing everything perfectly, making sure her dream job remains a certainty. Instead, she seems to be going out of her way to do everything wrong, acting like she’s learned nothing in her time at _Runway._ Every job, regardless of how small, is important and needs to be done to the best of one’s ability. And this is definitely not Andréa’s best.

Miranda contemplates her next move. Surely such incompetence must be punished. It would serve Andréa right if she phoned the editor at her new job and told him that it appears her assistant is no longer suitable for such a position. 

She calls out for Andréa in a way that conveys her displeasure and is met with silence.

The response she receives is from Emily, hovering in the doorway.

“I’m sorry, Miranda. Andrea’s at Calvin Klein.”

Her raised eyebrow is enough to draw out the rest of the story.  

“My leg was hurting so she offered to go for me. I know she’s supposed to finish up-”

Miranda shakes her head and purses her lip. “Tell her to report to me the moment she returns. That’s all.”

 ******

Andy’s last day at _Runway_ begins well enough considering her lack of sleep the night before. Turns out midnight is not only the start of the witching hour but the exact time when she realises her feelings for Miranda are rather unprofessional. Seems the dread she’s been struggling with has less to do with fresh starts and more to do with saying an unwanted goodbye.

Looking over Miranda’s schedule, she tries to convince herself that she can keep it together for ten more hours. Her boss will never know about her inappropriate feelings and she’ll move on with her life. Six months from now she’ll barely even remember Miranda’s name. 

When the usual text comes through from Roy, Emily rushes towards the lift. By the time the two of them arrive back in the office, Miranda has finished issuing her orders and barely spares Andy a glance as she discards her coat and bag. Not a word is spoken to her until two hours later when Miranda announces her desire for more coffee.

Her walk back from Starbucks takes too long, her usual frantic pace a mere dawdle as she thinks about Miranda in her perfectly-fitted Donna Karan skirt. She refuses to return to the office until she’s certain the first words out of her mouth won’t be, ‘God, I’m going to miss your ass.’  Hence, Miranda ends up with only slightly hot coffee and Andy is regarded with a mild look of disdain.

Then comes the San Pellegrino incident. She opens the bottle in the kitchenette but by the time she finishes daydreaming about Miranda sunbathing on an Italian beach, it’s more still than sparkling. It’s a pity she doesn’t notice this before she delivers the glass to Miranda’s office. Andy’s thankful the only reaction from her boss is a dismissive wave of her hand.

When she heads to Smith & Wollensky’s for Miranda’s lunch she’s confident nothing can go wrong.  There’s nothing sexy about steak. Just outside the restaurant her phone rings and she answers it, assuming it will be Emily with further demands. Alas, it’s Nate, calling from Boston to tell her about his new job. She tries to sound interested but all she can think of is their fight before Paris and how maybe he was right all along. Certainly, Miranda’s the person she now wants to be in a relationship with. It’s not until she returns to _Runway_ that she realises she’s picked up the wrong to-go order. Miranda takes one look at the salmon, shakes her head, and strides out of the office without a word.   

The rest of the afternoon passes with little drama until she receives a text from Emily. 

‘ _Miranda wants to see you the moment you get back. She’s not happy.’_

Of course she’s not surprised by the text. Despite yesterday’s warning from Miranda, Andy’s been distracted all day. 

She gazes out of the town car and takes a deep breath. She tells she herself there’s no reason to worry. Miranda’s lectures are no longer scathing and when delivered, seem mostly for show.  Andy’s biggest concern is that she might act upon her most recent and surprising desire. That’s all.

 ******

Emily glances at the closed door, curious as to what on earth can be taking so long in Miranda’s office. She knows her boss is unhappy with Andrea but surely that doesn’t require a thirty minute meeting. After all, Miranda’s famous for just how quickly and quietly she can reprimand people and reduce them to tears. 

Fifteen more minutes pass before Andrea emerges, her eyes devoid of tears but the evidence of embarrassment still obvious on her cheeks. Emily sends her a sympathetic smile. They may not be close, but she can’t help feeling sorry that her colleague’s last day is ending in such a dismal way.  

When Miranda appears a few moments later, Emily fails to notice the redness of her right hand or the way Andrea squirms in her chair before averting her eyes.

“Coat. Bag.”

Andrea springs from her chair and retrieves the requested items.

“And Andréa. Don’t forget. I want _you_ to deliver _The Book_ tonight.”

“Yes, Miranda.”

Emily watches them both and feels that strange tension again. She resists the urge to sigh and instead concentrates on her work. In another hour she’ll say farewell to Andrea and that will be that.

There’ll be no more weirdness at _Runway_. Miranda will no longer have unusually long meetings. Everything will be back to normal. That’s all she wants. That’s all.

******

Miranda fastens her robe and awaits Andréa‘s arrival. A twin-free house provides the perfect setting. It’s definitely a more appropriate setting than her executive bathroom.    
  
She’s still a little stunned by the afternoon’s events. Her staff may consider her unpredictable but she has nothing on Andréa. 

_“I don’t understand what’s gotten into you, Andréa. Are you trying to annoy me on your last day?”_

_“No, Miranda.”_

_Further questions brought her no closer to an explanation and her carefully prepared speech failed to have an impact. Instead of tears, her assistant’s face was flushed, her breathing erratic._

_She let out an indignant huff. “Clearly, I’m wasting my time.” Waving her hands in a dismissive gesture she continued, “that’s all.”_

_The unexpected response to her demand was a slight smile as Andréa quickly removed her underwear._  
  
_“I disagree. I think you need to punish me more.”_

 _It wasn’t until she stalked her way to Andréa’s side that she detected the unmistakable scent of arousal. The flaring of her nostrils was quickly followed by a distinct throbbing between her legs._  
_  
_ _“My bathroom. Now."_

_"Yes, Miranda."_

_*****_

Andy stands outside Miranda's townhouse, still amazed at how well her last day at _Runway_  turned out. Even now she can’t quite believe her audacity. Peeling off her underwear and asking Miranda to discipline her could have ended very badly. Luckily for her, she’s always had a good eye for detail.

“ _You’ve really disappointed me, Andréa. I expected better of you.”_

_Andy held back a smile, noticing that Miranda’s gaze had once again returned to her cleavage._

_“Sorry, Miranda.”_

_“I’m tempted to call up Greg right now to withdraw my recommendation.”_

_Her moment of panic quickly receded once she realised Miranda was staring intently at her legs._

_By the time Miranda reached her signature dismissal, a slight blush had appeared on her face and the lust in her eyes was obvious._

_And so Andy took a risk. A risk that proved she was still very good at anticipating Miranda’s wants and needs. Wants and needs that perfectly complimented her own._

As she turns the key in the door, Andy recalls the text message she received on her blackberry ten minutes earlier.

_’I’ll be waiting in the study to discuss your impertinent behaviour. Leave the book in the foyer.’_

Once she opens the door, a second message comes through on her newly acquired cell phone. Only the person who gave her the phone knows the number.  

 _’Don’t forget to remove your underwear. That’s all.’_  

**Author's Note:**

> So I’ve been stuck with many competing ideas of late and a case of writer’s block which left all those ideas half-formed and unexpressed.
> 
> And then came this one which started out as a really short one shot but grew into something a little more.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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